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Councilmembers: Please Hold Firm against Rio Nuevo Board

by on Oct. 03, 2011, under Community, Politics & Government, public safety

Dear Tucson City Council

The Rio Nuevo board appears to be trying to execute a ‘land grab’ to take ownership of property that should belong to the city of Tucson. As a Tucson taxpayer and voter, I want you – my elected representatives – to control this property, NOT an unaccountable, governor-appointed board that I cannot contact and do not trust.

I know that if there is a problem – and yes, there have been some – I can go to my city council representative and talk about it. I know that as elected officials who have to face the voters regularly, you will be responsive to our concerns.

I also know that the Rio Nuevo board is extremely difficult to contact, that they have lawyers answer their messages (at what cost per voice mail?) and that they were appointed by the governor, thus several layers removed from any accountability to me as a voter. Unlike the city council, the Rio Nuevo board meetings do not have audio or text transcripts online and even the minutes are only updated thru last March.

Please stand up to them and do not give them our land. I hope there is something we can do to get their hands out of our tax money and off our property. Mistakes were made with Rio Nuevo management, but I would rather have you guys fix it than have them steal us blind.

Suing the city is just taking our tax money that should be paying for police and pools, and putting it into the pockets of their lawyers. Let me know if there are steps we voters can take to make this stop.

Sincerely,

Golda Velez
[address deleted from online version]

See also editorial at Grinnell wants to be mayor – but his board is suing the city and Jonathan Rothschild’s statement on the lawsuit

This entry was posted on Monday, October 3rd, 2011 at 6:20 am and is filed under Community, Politics & Government, public safety. Tags for this post: , , , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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  • http://bTucson.com Golda Velez

    Regina Romero responded to my email, below, and asks other voters to please contact her office.  We as voters can have a significant impact on decisions and our representatives need to hear from us.
    ——————————–
      Golda,
     
    I agree with your assessment and will fight for Tucson taxpayers and west side residents in this unconscionable claim the state appointed Rio Nuevo Board has filed.
     
    I agree, there were mistakes made in the past managing Rio Nuevo but for the last 4 years Mayor & Council have fired the previous management, instituted an Independent Audit & Performance Review Commission, asked for and cooperated fully with an Attorney General Audit and have made investing in infrastructure our priority (i.e. Constructing Cushing Street bridge to connect east to west).
     
    Please make your voice heard publically with your friends, neighbors, neighborhood association, letter to the editor.  It helps me to have a multitude of voices I can point to when making these difficult decisions.  Call my office at 791-4040 with any questions.
     
    My best,
    Regina Romero 

  • http://bTucson.com Golda Velez

    Steve Kozachik, the Republican member of the City Council, also concurs:
    ——————-
    Golda, that’s my plan. Thank you for the note affirming that it’s what the citizens are after. I appreciate it.
    SteveK

  • galse

    $230 Million dollars!  That is approximately how much of our taxpayer money was spent while Rio Nuevo was under the City’s control!What is unconscionable is that we have practically nothing to show for it.Now WHY would we Trust our City Council?  Please enlighten me!

    • http://bTucson.com Golda Velez

      Yes – and we can hold those council members accountable when they come up for reelection, vote in new ones if we want, even hold a recall election. What are we going to do if the appointed board members spend the next $230 million on their lawyers in order to take ownership of the Mission Gardens property that we bought with part of the first round of spending? They don’t need our votes and have no accountability. We should indeed insist that the money be spent better, that the process be more accountable and transparent – but as far as I can see its become harder to do that, not easier, with the appointment of the board.

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